Axle for motor vehicles



R. J. BURROWS. AxLE FoR M'oroR VEHICLES. AEPLICATION FILED JUL.' I2I |919.

1,409,664. Y Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

2 SHEES-SHEE l.

R. J. BURROWS.

AXLE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

VAPPLICATION FILED JuLY12. 1919.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET z. 4

g um 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. BURROWS, 0F BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 CLARK EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 0F BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, A/CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

AXLE FOR MOTOR- VEHICLES.

Specication'of Letters Patent.- Patented N131', 14, 1922,

Application led July 12, 1919. l Serial No.v 310,426.y

To all whom t mayvccmcem:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. -BURRows, a`

v.citizen of the United States, and a. resident of Buchanan, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axles for Motor Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to motor vehiclev .axles of the type in whichthe propelling wheels are mounted upon suitable spindles carried by a .dead axle member andare driven through suitable differential gearing by means of jack shafts provided with pinions which mesh with gears,fpreferably internal gears, carried by the wheels, An axle of this general description isshown and described in Letters vPatent No. 1,291,- 761, granted to me January 21, 1919. Myl

presentV invention has particularly to do with the provision of means for lubricating the bearings at the outer endA portions ofthe jack shafts whetherlthey are placed at one side of the dead axle member, as shown in the Letters Patent above referred to, or are otherwise disposed with reference to the dead axle member. In the accompanying drawings I have shown .my invention embodied in an limproved'axle structure inwhich the 'jack shafts are disposedabove andfin substantially the same Yvertical plane l as the ldead axle member, and this is the' con# struction for which my improved lubricating devices are particularly designed, although the generic features thereof may be applied to axles of other design. The object of my invention isr to provide. means by which a constant supply of lubricating ma teriafl, such as oil, may bedeliveredto the bearings of the Vouter end portions of the jack shafts, and by which the supply of llubricant may be readily replenished when necessary; also to provide improved means combined therewith for'supporting the vehicle springs. I accomplish this object as illustrated in the drawings and as hereinafter described. 'What I regard as new is In the accompanying drawings'- Fig. 1 is a rear elevatlon of somewhat more than half of a rear axle,l part ofthe wheel being broken away, and'r some'parts being in section; i

vthe jack shaft 9 drives the wheel.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of one outer end portion ofl the axle;

Fig. 3 vis an enlarged horizontal section on `line 3&3 of-F ig. 1; and I Fig. 4 is a vertical crosssect.-,.i on line 4-4of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 4 indicates the; dead axle member which is provided Withthe usual wheel spindles adapted to support wheels 5. 6 indicates a differential 'housingpwhich is mounted upon the central Aportion of the dead axle member 4 and is securedthereto by brackets 7-8 bolted or otherwise.suitablysecured to the dead axle member. 9 indicates one of two jack shafts,

the inner ends of which extend into the differential housing 6 andare geared to the differential gearing in any Ysuitable way. It

will be undertsood that the parts shown in Fig. l at one side of the differential housingV f thereof, andis non-rotatably secured. thereupon by means of a key 14, shown in Fig.

4. Endwise movement of the sleeve 13 upon the dead axle member is prevented by means of a set screwl'which passes therethrough into engagement with the dead axle member, as shown in Fig. 1. The outer end portion of the jack shaft 9 extends through the upper portion of the housing 12,'and is provided adjacent to the pinion 16 with an antivfriction bearing 16 fitted in suitable recess provided for that purpose in the housing. 12, as shown in Fig. 3. Preferably the antifriction bearing 16 is a roller bearing, as vshown in said figure. The recess which receives the bearing 16 is formed by an internally-projecting annular frame 1 ,shown in Figs. 3 and 4, having an inwardly-projecting lip 18 at its inner margin to form an abutment against which the inner end of the bearing 16 its,asl best shown in Fig. 3. The outer end of the pocket or recess which re- "ceives said bearing is closed around the hub of the pinion 10 by a disc 19 carrying 'a felt isy tted tightly in the annular!-Lopen-ingll formed by the lip 18 and loosely encirclesA they jack-'shaft A9,: forming a; sort of' funnel? to direct lubricant to the bearing 16 and Y the pocket in which it is mounted? 22 indicates an oil reservoir having a-face plate 23provided with amarginalflange 24.

Said -.rcservoir is adapted-tov be insertedV4 into the chamber Within thev housing 1 -2 throughan opening 25 atoneside thereof, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,' and to be. secured' in position bv bolts 26 passing. throughmtheange 24C into the, Wall'of `the 'housing'f12 The .reservoir 22 is adaptedt-obe {supplied} with oil or otherlubricantrfrom an external oil cup 27 having a .duct 28 ivhichleadsto said reservoir, as shownin Figlie'. 29 findicatesfa tubewhich :leads fromx theJuppern portion of the reservoir 22 to the'collar121, ,j over themargin of which it extends slightly," as shown in F ig. 3. The tube 29 contains a Wick-30, the innerend of which dips into. the

oil in thereservoir 22. Z i 'n 'By the construction described, it ivill be apparent thatoil taken up bythe ivicklBO Will'pass through-,the.tube-.29 and .b e .dis-j charged Within the collar 21,Whence..:it ivill, pass down. into the recess or. pocket contain-` ingthe anti-friction4 bearing 16, and vwill also pass into said bearing,.s ou that the fbear- `ing will be Welllubricated as long as: a supply of oil is maintained in the reservoir 22.` The Washer 20, in additionto excluding dust. from said .bea-ring, ,alsoV .prevents the a free.:

passage of oil out of saidbeaiing, and there.-

by prevents waste of the lubricant. Y-.The. reservoir-'22, with the tube ,29 and wiclrl30 mayvreadily beremoved Whendesired.. byV simply vvunscrevving thebolts ,26. `rTo prevent dust and dirt -irom enteringthe chainbeiq, Y H v Y 'Y D 4. Tliefcombinationgxvitli a'4 dead axle and `Withinthe housing12,'a. stulng-boxl is providedaround the acl; shaft.9at'ftlie,end

of said; housing opposite` that .at Wliichjthe bearing-16 is: mounted, tas shown in. Figs.

1 and 3.l In the construction-sliovvnin the drawings, the housing .12- mayialsoserve. .as

j housing is providedwith a series 4of verti .y

i laterallyfextending .lugs/or brackets. 33.--,34`- A Y g 6. The'coinbination iwth a dead axleand I6 leverby whiehfthe rockshaft 3,5". isoperateds cally-arranged ,bolt holes; 32 for the; recep.. tion of the bolts or. clips v usually.,:employedy to secure the springs in pla-ce, and at thefside opposite 'the oil cup 2?'y itv is proviclecl.;with

having bearings in.which lislmounted a bizaker.

tion of the .housing i12. 38 indicates an-in` ternalbrake which cooperates ivithth'e .brake drum 37, and is actua-ted by the rocking of thef-'rocklshaft in any suitableway, as by referred to.A 39 indicates a vertically-dis poseddisel or partition which divides the "means of a cani carried by said rock-shaft, cas shown in the Letters .Patentheicinbefore 1 space within theA brake drum 3T ,into Vtivo chambers, one-0f which :contains the internal geai'flO and the other the brake 38 scribed iii-my said patent.

The construction described. provides a -as de-V f:

convenient .and reliable arrangementcby Whichlv adequate lubrication of the outer` Ab earingof the jackV shaft is maintained, .and

deadgaxle member andfto th'iejsprings. Y Y. What/,AI claim .as my invention .to secure by Letters Patent, is-l at the 'same time provides Ymeansbyrjivhicli. j the torque strains are transmittedto tli'e I l. Thefcombination with a Ydeadaxle and Wheel spindle carried thereby, of ajaek l c shaft,r a housing mounted lonsaidfdead axle ,i and having azbearingvfor saidjaclz shaft,.an

i and desire -oil reservoir enclosed' in Vsaid. .lioiising, and;

`meansafor conductingfoil from said reser-y -voir'to saidbearing.

mounted on said axle adjacent to said Wheell spindle, a Jack shaft extending througlivsaid 2. Thefcombination with Va Y deadfaxle'aiid, a wheel spindle carried thereby,- of a liousingl housing and having a bearing thcreiman oil i reservoir in said housing, and means for con, l

`ducting oil from isaid resei'voiizto .saidfK p bearing.

said! bearing,y

Wheelispindle. carried fthereby,2` of a jack and having abearingjforrsaid jack shaft, an

3. The combination with a dead axle and. a Wheel Vspindle carried thereby, ofa jack` shaft,` a housingmounted on said dead axle f' .l andnfhavingv abearing orrsaid .jael -shaft, f an oil reservoir in said housing, .and Wick V. for .conducting o il v'fromV saidv reservoir to,

iioV

shaft,lliousingmounted on said dead axle `1].5 Oil reservoir insa-id housing, ajwiel; .forconc AChieti-iigoil from sa-idreservoir to said .bear- Aandenclosiiigi saiclwick A. i Y i. 5.r The. combination with a dead axleland a Wheel/spindle carried .therebygot'v airjack fing,` andatube connected with said reservoir `shaft, ahou'sing mounted` on said dead axle f'bearing. f v v .conducting oil Vfrom said; .reservoir Vto said and ,havinga bearingv 'for Saidv jack shaft,1

operatingfrockhaft `35. indicatesgthe-a WheelA spindle carried fthereby,of a jackhaft; a housing mounted on ysaidclead axlevlo said jack shaft adjacent to said wheel spinn andliaving a bearing for said jack shaft, an oil reservoir iitted in and detachably connected with said housing, a tube connected with said reservoir, and a wick in said tube for conducting oil from said reservoir to said. bearing.

7. The combination with a dead axle and a Wheel spindle carried thereby, of a housing mounted on said axle adjacent to said wheel spindle, a jack shaft extending through said housing and having a bearing therein, an oil reservoir in said housing, means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearing, and a stuffing-box carried by said housing around said jack shaft.

8. The combination with a dead axle and arwheel spindle carried thereby, of a housing mounted on said axle adjacent to said Wheel spindle, a jack shaft extending through said housing and having a bearing therein, an oil reservoir in said housing, means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearing, a stuffing-box carried by said housing around said jack shaft, and dust-excluding means around said jack shaft at the oppoite end of said housing from said stuffing- 9. The combination with a dead axle and a Wheel spindle carried thereby, of a jack shaft, a housing non-rotatably mounted on said jack shaft adjacent to said wheel spindle and having a bearing for said jack shaft, an oil reservoir in said housing, and means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearing, said housing being arranged to form a spring seat.

10. The combination with a dead axle and a Wheel spindle carried thereby, of a jack shaft, a housing non-rotatably mounted on lential housino' dle and having a bearing for said jack shaft, an oil reservoir in said housing, means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearing, and a brake-operating rock-shaft supported by said housing.

11. The combination with a dead axle and a Wheel spindle carried thereby, of a jack shaft, a housing non-rotatably mounted on said jack shaft adjacent to said wheel spindle and having a bearing for said jack shaft, an oil reservoir in said housing, means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearing, rand a brake-operating rock-shaft supported by said housing, said housing being arranged to form a spring sea-t.

l2. The combination with a dead axle and a Wheel spindle carried thereby, of a differential housing mounted upon the central portion of said dead axle, a housing non-rotatably mounted on said dead axle adjacent to said Wheel spindle, a jack shaft extending into said differential housing and through said non-rotatable housing and having a bearing in the latter, an oil reservoir in the latter housing, and means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearin 13. hecombination with a dead axle and a Wheel spindle carried thereby, of a differmounted upon the central portion of said dead axle, a housing non-rotatabl mounted on said dead axle adjacent to sai Wheel spindle, a jack shaft extending longitudinally over said dead axle into said differential housing and through said nonrotatable housing and having a bearing in the latter, an oil reservoir in the latter housing, and means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearin ROBER J. BURROWS. 

